Courtney Grogan, '13, Intern at Daily NK-Summer 2012

Courtney Grogan,'13 concentrating in Government interned through the Korea Institute for 8 weeks at Daily NK, an online news publication in Seoul, South Korea which reports the latest developments inside of North Korea.     

One day during lunch break from my summer journalism internship, I found myself sitting at a table across from two North Korean defectors at a Japanese restaurant in the backstreets of Seoul. I was filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude to be sharing a meal with two individuals who had lived through so much, yet this was just an ordinary lunch out with coworkers from my office at Daily NK, an online news publication which reports the latest developments inside of North Korea. 

Although my North Korean co-workers did not speak English, we were able to connect over good food and a shared dedication to our organization’s mission of providing the world with accurate information on one of the world’s most opaque countries. This was a reoccurring theme throughout much of my summer in Seoul—people from different parts of the world coming together over tables filled with bulgolgi, rice, kimchi, and the more than occasional bottle of soju.

When we were not busy writing or translating news articles at my small office, coworkers would volunteer to teach each other our native languages. We had Chinese lessons on Mondays and Wednesdays, Korean on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and my fellow American intern and I taught English lessons as well. These language exchanges and frequent social gatherings after work created a bond within our office that kept everyone motivated in working towards the cause of North Korean human rights.

Outside of work I have enjoyed immersing myself in Korean culture. I have mastered the dance moves to this summer’s K-Pop hit “Gangnam Style” and can now quickly maneuver through Seoul’s crowded yet extremely clean subway system. I love visiting Korean markets and Buddhist temples. I have also enjoyed sharing  bowls of the delicious summer dessert of shaved ice and red beans, patbingsu, with my good friends from our host school, Ewha Woman’s University.

My summer in Seoul has been one of the happiest times in my life. I am so thankful to the Korea Institute for making this life-changing experience possible for me. When I return to Harvard, I look forward to continuing to study Korean and writing my senior thesis on North Korea.